


One and Only

by Jasmine_Shigeru



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-12 13:45:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5668198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jasmine_Shigeru/pseuds/Jasmine_Shigeru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after Crimson. Lois and Clark find themselves in couples’ therapy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Therapy Session One

**Author's Note:**

> This was first posted on Fanfiction.net under the same name on November 16, 2007.  
> Limited re-editing applied, but not much changed from original.  
> Also all of the "therapy" sessions and "homework" are purely fictional and for, mostly, comedic purposes.

Title: One and Only  
Author: Jasmine Shigeru  
Pairing: Clois  
Summary: Set after Crimson. Lois and Clark find themselves in couples’ therapy.  
Spoilers: Season 6 mostly, parts of Season 7  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Smallville nor do I wish I do. This is just for my entertainment and whoever wishes to read it. I am not making any profit from this and do not care to for that matter.  
Rating: M  
AN: This story will start at Season 6 and end in Season 7. It’s gonna to be a major AU. Kara will appear and there will be at least 2 love triangles.  
Category: Drama/Romance/Angst, hopefully some comedy.  
*********************************************************************  
One and Only  
By: Jasmine Shigeru

 

Prologue: Therapy Session One

 

Dr. Margaret O’Neil was a beautiful middle aged woman with graying blonde hair and deep brown eyes. She was a distinguished woman and a very successful marital therapist. Who knew a small town like Smallville, Kansas would even need a marriage counselor? But here she was. She had dealt with many couples over the years. Most of the couples who came to see her were still married. Some of the couples either wanted help with their marriage, some couples wanted counseling before they married, and some couples wanted a certificate that read that the couple could not resolve their differences and was free to divorce.

One of the latter couples was in front of her now and was the reason for the migraine pounding in her head. The couple on the sofa were bickering and they had been bickering since they stepped foot in her office, maybe even longer. They were both on opposite ends of the seat and blaming the other for why they were there. They barely stared at one another and when they did it was to glare. It made the doctor wonder why they had bothered to get married. According to the papers, they filled out they had only been married for a few days. They should have been in marital bliss.

The only solution the therapist could think of was alcohol. It was the only way the husband and wife in front of her could possibly think of marriage.

Tired of the constant bickering, Dr. O’Neil cleared her throat, trying to gain the couples attention. When that didn’t work, she switched to something more audible.

“Mr. and Mrs. Kent, please,” she pleaded in a calm yet clear voice. “You’re wasting time.”

The couple paused in their arguing and stared at her. The husband looked apologetic, but the wife looked like she was out for blood.

“Do NOT call me that,” the young wife said between clenched teeth.

Dr. O’Neil sighed. She could already tell this was going to be a difficult journey and she was betting it had more to do with the wife than the husband.

“For once, we agree on something,” the young husband said forgetting his earlier embarrassment.

He crossed his arms over his chest just as his wife was doing the same, proving to the doctor that they had more in common that their agreement of the wife’s surname.

“Well, we do have a lot to discuss,” Dr. O’Neil said. “And we only have a few sessions to get all of your issues in.”

“Let’s get this over with,” the young woman pressed. “Lord knows I don’t want to be here.”

“Neither do I,” the young husband said.

“It’s your fault that we’re here,” his wife accused.

“You came onto me,” he argued back.

“I did not,” the wife argued.

“Yes, you did,” the husband said back.

“If you both do not want to be here,” Dr. O’Neil interrupted. “Why are you two here?”

The last thing she wanted was another 10 minutes of bickering.

“It’s his/her fault,” the couple said at once. “No, it’s not, it’s your fault.”

And, to Dr. O’Neil’s dismay, the bickering began again as the couple turned to one another and glared. The migraine began to get worse as the husband and wife went on and on about whose fault of them being there truly was.

“Whose idea was it for you two to come here,” Dr. O’Neil asked as she brought up a hand to rub her temple.

“It was my cousin’s,” the wife answered. “She said that we cannot get a divorce until we went to a marriage counselor.”

“I was the one who told you first,” the husband said. 

“See, that’s her problem she never listens,” he said to the doctor.

“Never listens,” the wife said with a hiss. “I’ll show you never listen.”

The young woman was ready to lung at her husband.

“All right,” the therapist said ready to kick them from her office.

The only thing stalling her was the fact that she was the only marriage counselor in town and she knew they would be back.

She crossed her legs to calm herself and relaxed back into her chair.

“How did you become husband and wife,” she asked and waited for either one to reply.

END OF PROLOGUE


	2. Chapter One: It All Began...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lois tells Dr. O'Neil her account of how she ended up married to Clark, Clark remembers exactly what happened.

Chapter One-It All Began…

“It all began on Valentine’s Day,” the wife began answering Dr. O’Neil’s question of how she ended up married to the man beside her.

“Actually, Lois, it was the day after Valentine’s Day,” the husband interrupted.

“Whatever,” Lois said rolling her eyes. “It all began at a Valentine’s Day party…”

As Lois began to tell Dr. O’Neil her version of what happened, or rather what she remembered and was told, Clark Kent, the husband, in his mind, went over every exact detail of what happened the faithful night he was exposed to Red Kryptonite.  
________________________________________  
***FLASHBACK***  
Kal looked down at the intoxicated Lois Lane and wondered how she talked him into super speeding to a wedding chapel in Metropolis. He had to admit she was a good speaker and probably could talk her way into anything if given the chance. He also couldn’t deny that his agreement had a lot to do with her looks. She was hot and was looking even hotter in her black outfit and she was an incredible kisser. But he still couldn’t see why they were getting married.

Everything was going fine in Oliver’s loft only moments ago. They had begun kissing and removing clothes and were ready to jump each other. That was before he saw the invitation to Lana Lang and Lex Luthor’s engagement party and Kal could have sworn he was planning on crashing the event and Lois agreed.

They should have been at the party by now, but now, Miss Lane had kissed him passionately, whispered sensual promises to him, and swore her undying devotion. Then, she told him exactly what he had to do for her to make good on her promises, she kissed him again and before her knew it, Kal was agreeing to marry the sexy woman beside him.

It wasn’t right. Here he was a powerful, alien, who, if he willed it, could get anything and everything he wanted. He could crush armies and nations. He could rule planet Earth without a second thought to the living things on it. But somehow, he found his way tricked into becoming a husband.

He was out of it. He hadn’t even realized he had changed his clothes. He hadn’t noticed their arrival at the chapel; he just knew that they were there. He didn’t hear the preacher perform the ceremony. It wasn’t until he kissed his new bride that Kal realized what just happened.

“Wow,” Lois said after the intense kiss. “Come on, let’s go sign the papers and get the hell out of here.”

Kal nodded absently. He couldn’t help but to agree. The woman standing next to him was glowing and all he could think of now was the wedding night.  
***END OF FLASHBACK***  
________________________________________  
“And that’s all I remember,” Lois completed snapping the Kryptonian out of his memory.

Even though he wasn’t listening, Clark knew exactly what Lois told the therapist.

Lois had told Dr. O’Neil about what happened before she put on the lipstick at the Valentine’s Day party and what had happened after Chloe had sprayed her with the cure.

Lois and Clark did crash the engagement party and Clark was considering kidnapping Lana, but Lois had kissed him again and he decided to take his new bride somewhere private, his loft. They made love several times that night and was crudely awaked by their family, Chloe Sullivan, Lois’ cousin and Martha Kent, Clark’s mom.

Clark remembered waking up to the pain of the Green Kryptonite as its radiation seeped into his body. The feel of his organs beginning to fade, his heart slowing, and his lungs collapsing was debilitating. He didn’t have the strength to cover himself when he rolled off the old sofa and onto the cold wooden floor of the loft.

He laid their naked, watching as Lois sat up startled awake by Clark’s abrupt movement. Lois covered her self with the worn quilt he used to protect her from the cold and she stared wide eyed at her cousin as Chloe sprayed her with a green liquid. Lois’ face went from startled to confused and she looked around at her surroundings. She took a look at Clark, still struggling on the floor, realized he had nothing on and looked beneath the quilt to see she was also without clothing.

Clark watched as Lois grabbed his shirt she had thrown to the floor the previous night and scurried under the quilt to pull it over her head. When she was done, Lois tossed the quilt over his body and ran down the stairs and out the door of the barn. Chloe followed her, leaving Clark alone with his mom.

Mrs. Kent had been slowly moving away from Clark, lessening the affects of the Green Kryptonite on him. It wasn’t until Lois and Chloe left, that she closed the lead box that held the rock.

Clark sighed. He remembered the conversation he and his mother had about the events that happened the night before and why he had done the things he had done. He told her about his speedy wedding to Lois and asked her what he should do. Mrs. Kent told him there was nothing her could really do but talk to Lois and see where she stood when it came to the marriage.

“Mr. Kent, do you recall the events after the Valentine’s Day party?” Dr. O’Neil asked.

“No,” Clark lied. “My mind it a blank from the moment Lois kissed me with the red lipstick.”

It was the lie he had told Lois and he couldn’t confess the truth with her in the same room. She would kill him or at least try to kill him. It was much safer for Clark if he just kept the real events of the night of their marriage a secret.

“Oh,” the therapist said and wrote some notes in her notepad. “I would say you could go ahead and get a divorce, but it would be hard to prove that you were not married of your own free will and the union was consummated, so, I would like to continue the sessions.”

Lois and Clark groaned. They were stuck together for three months.  
END OF CHAPTER ONE


	3. Chapter Two: A Husband to Wife

Chapter Two: A Husband to Wife  
Dr. O’Neil leaned back in her seat and sighed. She was afraid to give the couple their assignment. They were not going to like it, but she already spoke with their closest relatives to make sure they went through with it.

“Mr. and Mrs.…” O’Neil began but stopped when she saw the death glares on the couples’ faces. She quickly corrected herself. “Mr. Kent, Miss Lane, I have an assignment I would like for you to carry out until our next session in two weeks.”

Clark noticed something in the therapist’s expression. He could tell it meant trouble and when he thought about trouble, he thought about spending the rest of the day hearing Lois rant on and on about the session.

“What kind of assignment?” he asked cautiously.

“It is a simple assignment,” the therapist said gently. “I would like for the two of you to live together.”

“No problem,” Lois said with a shrug. “We’ve lived under the same roof before. It will be easy to do it again.”

Clark looked at Lois and then at Dr. O’Neil. Lois was ready to go and did not want to hear any more of what the doctor had to say. But, Dr. O’Neil looked like she did have something to say and he knew it was something he and Lois were going to dread.

“What’s the catch,” he asked.

“No catch,” the therapist said. “Like I said before, I would like for you to live in the same house or apartment for the next couple of weeks.”

“But there are conditions, right,” Clark asked.

He just felt the ‘but’ coming on.

“Come on, Smallville,” Lois said. “You’re being paranoid. Let’s just get out of here.”

Lois grabbed Clark’s forearm and began to tug him towards the office door. She had to get out of the room. She was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

“Miss Lane,” Dr. O’Neil said stopping the woman. “There are a few conditions. I would like for you to live as a married couple. Do things together. Shop for groceries, do laundry, discuss each other’s day.”

“Got it,” Lois said and again, began to drag Clark out the door.

“I do not want you to consider intimate contact for this assignment,” Dr. O’Neil continued.

“Even better,” Lois said still heading towards the door.

“But,” the doctor said.

Clark knew it. He saw it coming. He sighed and planted his feet firmly on the ground, preventing his wife from pulling him further.

“I would like for you to share a bed,” Dr. O’Neil revealed. “It will give you chance to talk at night before sleep. It is a way to be intimate without being physical. Sharing a bed will allow you to establish or enforce a bond.”

“Why would we want to establish or enforce a bond,” Lois asked behind clenched teeth.

“It is my job to try every method possible in making you and your husband remain married,” Dr. O’Neil explained. “A permission of divorce is only to be given after I have given the assignments and you have tried them, and I see no hope of the marriage working.”

Lois let go of Clark’s arm and placed her hands on her hips.

“I can save you the trouble,” she said. “Clark is not my type, I’m not his, we can barely stand each other, and he’s in love with another woman. I’m still in lov… I mean, I still care for another man, I’m a military brat and he’s a farm boy, I’m willing to take chances and he rather be at home reading a book or something, he’s a brooder. We’re just not compatible.”

“I noticed you did not mention physical attraction, Miss Lane,” Dr. O’Neil said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Huh,” Lois said taken aback.

“Is there a physical attraction?” the therapist asked.

Clark gulped and Lois stood stunned. Dr. O’Neil had hit her mark. She knew there was more to this couple that meets the eye.

“I will see you in two weeks,” she said dismissing them away.

Ten minutes later, Lois and Clark were on their way to the Talon so that Lois could pack some of her things and stay at the farm. In the parking lot, they decided Lois would stay at the Kent Farm instead of Clark staying in the Talon. Lois didn’t want to stay in her apartment. She was sharing it with Chloe and with Clark there too, the too small apartment would be even smaller. So, they picked the farm. There was more space in the yellow farmhouse, plus, Clark had to run the farm. The farm was just the logical place for them to ‘work’ on their marriage. At least, that was the excuse Lois told herself.

The new wife leaned on the passenger’s side window of husband’s truck. She closed her eyes for a second. She couldn’t believe the situation she was in. Here she was married to the goody-goody farm boy, Clark Kent. Hell must have frozen over, she thought. It was the only way she could possibly marry Clark. As she told Dr. O’Neil, they had nothing in common.

“There must be something wrong with this world,” Lois said out loud.

She turned to face Clark.

“How in Hell did I end up with you,” Lois asked.

“According to Jimmy and Chloe, you wore a lipstick with a love potion and I was the first guy you saw,” Clark answered without staring at her.

Lois glared. She wasn’t looking for an explanation. Couldn’t Clark tell she was only ranting?

“Anyway,” Lois continued. “How is it that you of all the guys in the Talon that night, you were the one in my line of vision?”

Clark shrugged and was about to say something when Lois cut him off.

“You,” she groaned. “Spell or no spell, I can’t see it. Us together, it’s like the world is about to come to an end. If it weren’t for the fact that the population of the world hasn’t decreased, I would say that you were the last man on earth. No, the last male on earth.”

“Are you saying that you would be with an animal than with me,” Clark asked.

Lois was beginning to annoy him. He couldn’t wait for them to get to the farm so he could engage in some chore. He was even considering doing the chore at a normal human pace. It would probably take all day and he wouldn’t have to see Lois until dinner.

“”Hey earth to Smallville,” Lois said interrupting Clark’s fantasy.

“What,” he exclaimed.

“Didn’t you hear me,” Lois asked. “Married for a week and you’re already acting like the neglecting husband.”

Clark rolled his eyes and turned onto the street were the Talon was located.

“What did you say, Lois,” Clark asked with a sigh.

“I asked, what are we going to do about dinner,” Lois asked. “Your mother’s away at a conference in Metropolis until late.

“I can cook something,” Clark answered.

Lois stared at him. She didn’t believe him.

“Like what,” she dared ask.

“Rice and hamburger,” he said. “It’s the best I can do on short notice.”

Lois snorted in amusement.

“I bet it’s the best you can do period,” she said.

Clark groaned and parked the truck. He didn’t say a word as he got out. He wondered how in the world he was going to survive three months with Lois Lane. All he wanted to do was to get away from her now.

He walked into the Talon just as Lois got out of the truck.

“There you go again, ignoring me,” Lois shouted as she walked into the Talon after him.

Clark abruptly turned to face Lois. He glared down at her and grabbed her shoulders. He felt a sudden spark of his Kal side come forth as he stared into the shocked face of the most annoying woman on the planet.

“Do you really want me to pay attention to you like a new husband would with his bride, Lois,” Clark asked darkly. “If you do, then I would.”

Clark was about to lean into a kiss the shocked Miss Lane when Chloe walked up to them.

“Is everything okay,” the short blonde asked in concern as she looked from her cousin to her best friend.  
END OF CH. 2


	4. Chapter Three: The Baby-Sitter

Chapter Three: The Baby-Sitter  
Clark let go of Lois and took two steps away from her. He was embarrassed and happy for Chloe’s interruption. He usually had a tight rein on his emotions, but something in him snapped and he could no longer take Lois’ ranting. He felt he had to do something to get her to stop.

Lois was also relieved her cousin appeared when she did. She was not sure she could handle Clark’s sudden anger. He was about to kiss her and that scared her. She liked Clark Kent to be meek and shy, mild-mannered even, not confident and well, aggressive. She could handle Clark’s usual behavior. She was not attracted to that, but the way he was behaving a second ago, she could not handle. She wanted him to kiss her and that was disturbing.

Chloe only stared at the two. Lois looked embarrassed and so did Clark. It was a relief to her. Their embarrassment meant they were both themselves and not on red kryptonite. By the way, Clark was holding Lois, she thought they might have been, well at least Clark.

“Chloe, hi,” Lois said nervously.

“Hi,” Chloe said suspiciously. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Lois and Clark answered in unison.

Lois began to walk up the stairs to their apartment. Clark followed close behind.

“Are you sure,” Chloe asked the pair as she followed her cousin.

The two were acting strange and her reporter instincts were telling her that there was more to the scene she had just witnessed.

“Yeah,” Lois said opening the door and entering the dwelling. “Why would you think otherwise?”

She went to the nearby closet, opened the door, and pulled out the biggest suitcase she could find. She heaved it onto her bed and unzipped it, flipping the flap open.

“Because it looked as if you two were ready to jump each other, that’s why, ” Chloe said with a raised brow.

She glanced over at the awkwardly quiet Clark. He was standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets looking as if he did not want to be there.

“Chloe, there is nothing to worry about,” Lois assured as she busied herself with packing. “Clark and I are fine.”

She was hoping the task would get her mind off of what had happened downstairs.

“Uh-huh,” the blonde said still disbelieving her cousin’s claim. “Well, I got a call from a Dr. Margret O’Neil, I assume she’s your therapist.”

“Yeah,” Clark said shyly.

“She wants me to keep an eye on you two,” Chloe continued. “Make sure you follow through with her assignments.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Clark said.

“Yeah, you can just say we slept in the same building, in the same bed,” Lois added before she disappeared into the bathroom. “No one has to know.”

He was hoping Chloe would say she would not and allow Lois to stay here. He hoped she would be on both of his and Lois’ sides and lie for them, a hope that died as soon as he saw a mischievous twinkle in his best friend’s eye.

“Ah, come on,” Chloe teased. “I bet it will be fun to play house.”

“We have to share a bed,” Clark told through clenched teeth.

“So, what,” Chloe smirked. “It’s not the end of the world.”

“It is, the way Lois puts it,” Clark mumbled.

“I think it would be fun,” the petite woman said. “Besides, I think you two deserve the lesson. Maybe now, you won’t bicker as much.”

“Love you too,” Clark grumbled just as Lois reappeared from the bathroom.

Her arms were full of her toiletries. She placed the items into her suitcase and closed the flap over her things.

“So, Chlo, what are you going to choose, the dark side or the light side,” Lois asked after she zipped up her suitcase.

“I’m going with light this time,” Chloe said.

“Thanks,” Lois said curtly.

“She thinks we need to be taught a lesson,” Clark explained.

“On what, how to kill each other,” Lois questioned cynically.

“No, on our bickering,” the Kryptonian answered.

“Are you sure it’s not on how to kill each other,” Lois asked. “Besides, we bicker because we care.”

“Funny, I thought we bickered because we can’t stand each other.”

“Hey, I’m still in the room,” Chloe interrupted.

She felt another bicker session coming on.

“Like I told Clark, I believe this would be could for you two and I think Mrs. Kent is all for it too,” Chloe said. “Do you really think she’s going to let you skip out of your assignments?”

“No,” Clark pouted. “She was always a stickler for homework and she’ll probably think of this like it as homework.”

Lois groaned and walked over to Clark. Actually, she was walking towards the door; Clark was still in the way.

“Grab my bag, Smallville,” she ordered as she shoved him out of the way.

“Hey, cuz, how are you going to make sure we follow through with the assignments anyway,” Lois asked.

“Simple, you won’t be the only one staying on the Kent Farm,” Chloe answered. “Mrs. Kent called me and asked me to keep an eye on you two when she’s away. I said I would.”

“You’ve talked to my mom,” Clark asked as he lifted the suitcase, pretending it was heavy.

“Of course, she wants you two to go through this legitimately,” Chloe explained. “So, she asked me to babysit you tonight. Tomorrow we’re planning on a workable schedule for watching you.”

“We don’t need a babysitter,” Lois groaned.

“Yes, you do,” Chloe said.

She reached beside the sofa hoisted her overnight bag she had placed there earlier over her shoulder.

“We don’t,” Clark insisted as he walked over to her and reached out for her bag.

Chloe happily dumped in on top of Lois’s. Clark pretended to slightly buckle under the weight.

“Trust me, you do,” Chloe said walking over to the door. “Someone has to make sure you don’t kill each other.”

“I’ll give her that, Smallville,” Lois said.

She moved away from the door so that Clark could walk through. She and Chloe followed. Chloe locked the door.

“Yeah, yeah,” Clark said. “I know.”  
END OF CH. 3


	5. Getting Started

Chapter Four: Getting Settled  
It was not long before, Clark, Lois, and Chloe made it to the Kent Farm, but for Clark, the drive had seemed longer. He was trapped in a cramped space with two talkative cousins. He knew for sure he was going to miss his silence for the next three months.

The two women talked from the moment they left the Talon all the way to the farm and they were still talking. They were talking about nothing really important. Something about their childhood and some rare family gathering they had.

As much dirt Clark loved to have on the two, he wanted them to be quiet so he could think. He had to find a way to not sleep with Lois that night. He had come up with little ideas about what to do. In fact, he could only think of two.

The first, he thought, maybe, they could take turns sleeping in the bed and just be in the same room, but there were two problems with the idea. Chloe would check on them any chance she got and Lois wouldn’t give up the bed once she fell to sleep.

And the second idea Clark had was for him to stay awake during the night. He could do it, he wasn’t human. It wouldn’t be that hard. But he knew he couldn’t do it, not until he and Lois were divorced. He was having dreams of the night they shared and he was waking earlier than normal. He also was the only one taking care of the farm. Even though it only took him minutes to complete all of his chores, they still wore him down, especially when he was playing superhero to someone close to him. So, he was tired, very tired and wanted to crawl into bed and get as much sleep as possible.

“Come on, Clark,” Chloe said bringing Clark’s mind back down to earth.

“Do you want to stay in the truck all day,” Lois asked.

The cousins were on the house porch peering at him. Chloe was leaning against the railing and Lois stood with her hands on her hips. They both looked amused and Clark could have sworn he saw an evil glint in their eyes. Then he saw it. Now he was sure they were being evil and only continued to be for the remainder of the day. He knew that they were torturing him.

It was at this time; Clark seriously considered Lois’ suggestion. It was probably going to be the most peaceful of places on the farm tonight.

“I wasn’t being serious, Smallville,” Lois said. “Get your butt out of that truck and carry our things into the house.”

Clark groaned loudly and rested his head against the steering wheel. Today may count as the worst day of his life. He had to deal with the talkative twins and now he was beginning to get a headache.

Lois smiled to herself. She felt victorious. It always brightened her mood when she got Clark to look like he just lost a fight. Also, she loved to boss Clark around. It gave her time to think. It also calmed her nerves and made it easier for her to get through an awkward situation.

“We’ll be in the kitchen if you need us,” she said knowing good as well Clark wouldn’t call them unless he wanted to discuss something.

She and Chloe walked into the yellow farmhouse.

Chloe giggled. She knew being around Lois and Clark was going to be fun. It was always entertaining to watch them together. She expected today to be no different. But she also knew that things could get pretty intense when they were in the same room. Lois and Clark had a knack for getting on each other’s nerves. It was almost a competition for them and if they decided, they would try to test each other’s limits. They didn’t just need a babysitter, they needed a referee.

“I wonder what kind of food Mrs. Kent left us,” Lois said as they entered the kitchen.

“Whatever it is, it smells great,” Chloe said.

Leave it to Martha Kent to fix them a meal before leaving for business. She always made sure that all her guess was well fed and had at least a two-course meal. But today, Mrs. Kent had made a three-course meal, a salad, an entrée, and dessert.

The salad was simple. Lettuce leaves, tomato slices, shredded carrots, and cheese with a French dressing. It was enough to make both Lois and Chloe’s mouths water.

The entrée was a pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and celery. Also, simple but probably delicious and all would be having seconds.

Rice and string beans were the sides. And rolls were still warm in the oven.

Lois peeked into the oven and spotted a blueberry pie. She licked her lips. She loved Martha’s homemade blueberry pies. Hell, she loved all of Martha’s homemade pies.

“Hey, cuz, check the freezer and see if we have any vanilla ice cream,” she told Chloe.

“Already ahead of you,” the blonde said. Chloe was already looking into the freezer. She shivered at the cold but smiled when she saw a newly bought carton of French Vanilla ice cream.

“I’m going to sleep well tonight,” Chloe said knowing a full stomach would put her fast to sleep.

“Hey, Chloe,” Clark called just as Chloe shut the freezer door.

“Yeah,” the petite woman answered.

“Where will you be sleeping,” Clark asked.

Chloe looked over at her best friend. She was a little shocked to see him standing at the base of the stairs. She and Lois were too busy scooping out the food to notice he had entered the house.

“Um, you’re mom said I could take her room for the night,” Chloe said.

“You mean, Clark and I have to sleep in his double bed,” Lois asked indignantly.

“Yup,” Chloe said.

“That’s not fair,” the new reporter whined. “It’s too small for me and him.”

When she said him, Lois violently pointed at Clark.

“Thanks,” Clark said rolling his eyes.

“You know what I mean,” Lois said glaring at Clark. “You’re not exactly small, Smallville.”

“Hey,” Chloe said to bring the couples attention to her. “If you can share a sofa, you can share a bed.”

Lois and Clark both blushed at the comment. Clark remembered exactly what the blonde was implying to the last detail, bits, and pieces Chloe couldn’t possibly know. It made him shift uncomfortably. Lois, on the other hand, could only blush at the memory of waking up on the sofa in the loft, Chloe standing over her with a small spray bottle, Mrs. Kent standing nearby with a glowing rock, and Clark naked on the floor. That was the part that made the impulsive woman blush because she was naked too and it was obvious of what she and Clark did the night she blacked out.

“Um… right,” Clark said nervously. “Mom’s room.”

He began to climb the stairs to get out of the suddenly tense room.

“And don’t forget to put Lois’ things in your room,” Chloe said.

Clark said nothing as he continued to the second floor of the house.

“Really Chloe could have embarrassed us more,” Lois asked as she closed the door to the over.

“Well, I was only saying that sharing a bed wouldn’t harm you,” Chloe said. “You’re not hopped up on love potion anymore, so you should be fine.”

“Yeah, but I still don’t like it,” Lois mumbled. She began to walk to the living room.

To Chloe, her cousin looked like a defeated woman. She knew that this situation wasn’t going to be easy, but it had to be done. Maybe, then things would go back to normal.  
END OF CH. 4


	6. Bedtime

Chapter 5: Bedtime  
Dinnertime came and went too quickly at the Kent household. Lois and Clark had been trying to prolong the meal and Chloe realized this with a bit of humor. She knew what would be next, bedtime and it would be her duty to make sure her cousin and her best friend slept in the same bed, but first, she had to get them to go to bed.

It wasn’t too difficult, all she had to do was use a stern, motherly tone of voice when dinner was over Lois and Clark both jumped up, volunteering to do the dishes and clean the kitchen before bed, but Chloe shook her head no.

“I got this,” she said. “The sooner you two go to sleep, the sooner it will be over.”

The married couple groaned and nodded their heads. Chloe’s tone left no room for argument, even from them. They reluctantly made their way up the stairs and gathered their sleeping clothes for the night. Lois hid in the bathroom, while Clark remained in the bedroom.

Lois locked the bathroom door and took off her shirt and pants. She looked down at her body and noticed the fading marks. She frowned as she looked at the healing bruises marring her skin. She wondered how in the world Clark managed to make them so deep. Sure, she knew he was strong, but he was usually gentle in everything he did. He wasn’t the type of guy to manhandle a woman, even during sex.

Lois blushed and dressed. She pulled on her bunny pajama pants, Chloe had bought for her as a joke last Christmas. She smiled as she remembered her cousin’s laughter. Chloe knew Lois secretly liked bunnies. Then, she pulled on Clark’s red and black plaid shirt. It was her favorite, though she would never tell anyone and she was very proud that Clark was too distracted with getting his own clothes that he didn’t notice her take it.

She brought the sleeve up to her nose and took in a deep breath. It smelled of fabric softener, hay, dirt, and soap. All equaled Clark.

Lois stopped herself. She was smiling. She shouldn’t be smiling. It was bad enough that her body seemed to burn every time Clark was near, she didn’t need to become fixated on his scent too.

Her blush deepened as she thought of why her body burned every time she got near her “husband”. A day and night, she did not remember, but her body and lips sure did. They ached to be touched, to be kissed. It was annoying and frustrating.

She should be still moping over Oliver Queen, not craving Clark Kent.

Lois violently shook her body as it began to burn with the desire to jump her temporary bedmate.

“Okay, Lane you can do this,” she said to her reflection as she stared into the medicine cabinet mirror. “It’s just like a sleepover.”

She took a deep breath.

 

“Nothing is going to happen,” she continued to tell herself. “You’re just going to sleep with a friend. A male friend, but he’s still just a friend.”

With that said, Lois took one more deep breath and stood up straight. She held her head up high as she unlocked and opened the bathroom door.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Clark gulped as he tugged on his pajama pants and t-shirt. He was suddenly feeling self-conscious. How was he going to make it through the night beside Lois? His mind was boggled, but his body seemed more than willing.

Clark groaned. His mind had been in protest ever since Dr. O’Neil gave them their assignment. He thought the assignment was a waste of time. He would still want a divorce. No, it wasn’t his mind that was going to be the problem. It was his body.

Clark’s body seemed to remember the night in his loft too well and when his mind tried to suppress, his body buzzed as a reminder. It remembered how Lois kissed, how her hands danced across his skin, the way he felt when they were connected.

Another groan escaped the Kryptonian’s lips and he pushed back the memory once more. He had to gain control over his body. He couldn’t allow Lois to see or feel how eager his body was to share a bed with her.

Just then, Lois came busting through the door. Clark stared at her. She was wearing his red and black plaid shirt and her pink bunny pajama pants. Obviously, she was trying to look less appealing and, in his eyes, she was failing.

She looked good in his shirt and Clark thought back to a time when he first saw her wear it. The memory was almost enough to cause another war between his body and mind.

Lois stared at Clark as he stared at her. She felt even more nervous and shifted in the doorway.

“T-That’s my shirt,” Clark whispered in an attempt to protest.

“Okay, Smallville,” Lois said deciding to ignore Clark and walking to the left side of the bed. “You take that side and I’m taking this side. You stay on your side and I’ll stay on mine, got it?”

Clark nodded silently. He wasn’t in the mood to argue that he liked the left side more than the right. He knew Lois was nervous. She was always demanding when she was nervous.

“Okay then,” Lois said climbing into bed. “Goodnight.”

“Night,” Clark said automatically.

Clark watched as she turned off the lamp on the bedside table and curl up to sleep. He shook his head. He could do this. He was the one with all the powers. If he could face Phantoms alone, he could spend a night or several in the same bed as Lois Lane.

It was strange sharing a bed with Clark and Lois found herself restless. It wasn’t fair. Why did her life have to get this messed up? One day, she was moping over her ex-boyfriend, Oliver, the next; she’s married to Clark.

She wondered how in the world did she end up married to the one guy she never pictured even kissing. Well, maybe she did imagine kissing him, but surely not having sex with him. Damn, she did that too, but in her defense, she hadn’t dreamed of him in any way since the first year they met.

To her, Clark was an annoying cousin, possibly brother and now her head was beginning to hurt. It didn’t want to venture into that territory. It wanted simple, it wanted to rest, it no longer desired an explanation to how and why she married one of her closest friends. She wanted to cry.

Finally, frustration and exhaustion won out and Lois fell to sleep, pushing back her angry tears.

Clark closed his eyes. He was also wondering the hows and whys he found himself married to the woman beside him. She was the most annoying creature he knew and she was bossy and nosy. She was everything he did not desire in a woman. So, why did his heartbeat when he is close to her, why did he really want to kiss her, why did he hope that the divorce would not be permitted?

This all just didn’t make sense to him. He felt a closeness to Lois that he never felt with any other woman before her. He felt an understanding with her and he had a feeling she felt the same for him. There was a connection between them that he couldn’t deny. And the scary thing about it all he wasn’t sure if he wanted to let it go.

With a sigh, Clark fell to sleep thinking being married to Lois for a few months wasn’t going to be the end of the world.

Chloe poked her head through Clark’s bedroom door, which was left open by Lois, and smiled to see the couple fast asleep. She gazed at them in awe. Jimmy was right they did make a good looking couple. They do say opposites attract and no one was more opposite than Lois and Clark.

With a sigh, Chloe closed the door and went to Mrs. Kent’s room to get some much-needed sleep.  
END OF CH. 5


	7. Waking

Chapter Six: Waking  
Clark moved closer to the warm body beside him. Smiling, he took a deep breath, taking in the sweet honey scent of his companion. He felt safe, he felt at home. No one had ever felt this right in his arms. Burying his face in the soft hair of his wife, Clark pulled the woman into his arms. He missed this the morning after their wedding. He missed the closeness, the warmth, the feeling of love. The togetherness was the wonderful bliss the Kryptonian had been feeling when he woke up in pain over a week ago.

Clark pulled away, opened his eyes, and gazed upon the sleeping face of Lois Lane. For the first time since the red Kryptonite was forced out of his body, he did not regret marrying her. He smiled down at his beautiful wife. Her hair was mussed, her mouth opened with a little drool at the corner of her plump lips. Lois' cheeks were flushed and her eyelids moved in REM sleep. To Clark Kent, she was cute and at that moment while she slept, Lois Lane was an angel come to earth just for him.

Then, Clark frowned. This wasn't right. Where was the feeling of irritation every time he saw her? Where was the need to annoy Lois just as much as she annoyed him? They had a system that worked for them. It kept them close but never close enough to make too much of a difference in their friendship. They were supposed to be like brother and sister, not husband and wife. And why the hell did it comfort the last Kryptonian to think of Lois as his wife? She wasn't his type at all. She was too bullheaded to be a love interest. Admittedly, she was hot, but that still didn't cause for his unconscious part of his mind to believe that Lois was the one.

For a second, Clark thought about Lana Lang, the lost love of his life. She should be the one in his arms. Instead, she was warmed up to his former best friend, Lex Luthor. He had kept secrets from the both of them. He trusted them and yet he didn't. They didn't seem like the two people you could trust with such big secret as truly being from another planet and his distrust in them caused him to lose them both to the ultimate betrayal.

Sighing Clark returned his attention to Lois. Could he really trust her with his secret? He believed he could, but would it push her away as he feared he would do if he told Lana. Would Lois be able to stand the sight of him? She didn't seem like the type of person to push anyone away completely. But Lois was estranged from her father and sister. Maybe, she would treat him the same way as she treated them and would he be able to handle the distance?

Even though he would never admit it to anyone, Clark Kent did miss Lois Lane when she went away for long periods of time. She was like no friend he had before, well Chloe came close, but she and Lois were cousins; there had to be some similarities between them. As Clark had thought before, Lois was bossy and rude. She also was nosy, a tom-boy, and overconfident. She always had to have her own way. She insisted to cook knowing she can't. She never left any hot water when she showered. She eats all the good snacks before he could get to them. Yup, Lois was a very irritating woman and Clark forgot all about those qualities when she cuddled closer to him.

His face went from a frown to a smile as he watched a small smile appear on her now closed lips. She sighed obviously enjoying the same warmth and comfort he had just experienced when waking. Lois' serene expression had Clark thinking about all the good qualities about her that kept him close.

Like, how Lois was always there when Clark truly needed her the most. She always knew the right things to say when he needed to hear them and she also knew what to say when he didn't want to hear them. She was the most brutally honest person he had ever met and he liked that in her. Lois wasn't a quitter. No matter how many times he knew he would have to save her, he knew she would fight her hardest to escape before he got there. She was dependable, always there for her friends and family. She was stubborn and not exactly in a bad way. She could always make him laugh. She was cute when she was nervous and looked like a child when she was. All these things were bonuses to her.

But that still didn't mean he wanted to stay married to her.

Unaware of his conscious mind, Clark failed to notice he was staring down at Lois lovingly.

Lois was waking up. She didn't want to wake up, she was warm and safe. She wanted to remain in this peaceful haven for as long as she possibly could. She felt better than she ever had before, but subconsciously, she knew she wasn't alone and that tidbit of knowledge added to her comfort.

Smiling, Lois tried to make the feeling last, but her efforts weren't working. Her mind was awakening from its fuzzy haze. She still felt warm and safe, but she was beginning to remember why. She was married and sharing a bed with her new husband. That didn't seem too bad. Wives were supposed to sleep in the same bed as their husbands. Then, Lois remembered exactly who she was married to, Clark Kent, Smallville. She wasn't supposed to be married to Clark. She was supposed to be married to... Well, she wasn't sure who she was supposed to be married to, but she was certain it wasn't supposed to be to Clark Kent.

Lois was sharing a bed with Clark. Sharing a bed with Smallville that was odd. They were friends, almost like siblings, and sharing a bed with a friend was okay. Being married and sharing a bed with Clark was absolutely not right. Especially when her mind cleared a little more and she remembered the circumstances of why they were married and why they were in the same bed.

Now fully awake, Lois' face scrunched up as she thought of a way to get out of bed without Clark waking. Thinking it best to just slip out quietly, the novice reporter opened her eyes. Shock crossed her face. Clark was already awake.

'Of course, he would be, he's a farm boy,' Lois thought.

With the initial shock covered, Lois' attention came to focus on what Clark was doing. He was staring at her like she was the girl of his dreams. That was unnerving and it had Lois stiffening in his embrace.

Staring back at Clark, Lois decided to go for her usual approach.

"God, Smallville," she exclaimed as she started to move away from Clark. "Couldn't you've stayed on your own side? You didn't have to come over to mine. I'm not Lana, you know."

She knew the last tidbit stung but she needed to get out of there.

Clark stared at her, a little bewilder and somewhat angered by her Lana comment. He wondered what happened to the lovely creature he was sleeping with.

"You know what," Lois said without waiting for a response. "I'm just going to get up and let you have the bed and your fantasies all to yourself."

With that, Lois hurried out of bed and whirl-winded out of Clark's bedroom and into the bathroom.

Clark groaned and rolled over onto his back.

 

The morning began perfectly. It was almost like they belonged together. For a moment, before he went into his own personal rant, Clark didn't feel out of place, but then, Lois had to wake up and reminded him of why his rant was so important to keep in mind.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Lois was leaning against the sink with her elbows set on the rim. Her face was buried in her hands. She was a little more than a bit embarrassed. She couldn't believe how good she felt the moment she woke up. She had always wanted to feel safe, loved, cherished. It was all she hoped any man would give her.

She groaned. Why did it have to be Clark? Knowing who made her feel so emotional was more than a little disturbing. Life was not fair and if it were, it would allow her and Clark Kent to get a divorce and never face this abomination again.  
END OF CH. 6


	8. Routines and Secrets

Chapter 7: Routines and Secrets  
A week passed and Lois and Clark fell into a routine. Each morning they woke up together, mostly Clark woke before Lois, Clark got to use the bathroom first. And while he did his chores, Lois had her turn in the bathroom. Next, they would sit at the kitchen table and eat the wonderful breakfast Martha prepared for them. Then, Lois would go off to run errands for Senator Kent and Clark would go find some work on the farm or search for Phantoms. Every day went this way.

The newlyweds had gotten over their original discomfort. It took them a couple of days but they were successful. Clark learned to think of other things instead of Lois' body, like wayward Phantoms from the Kryptonian Prison known as the Phantom Zone. There were so many Phantoms to worry about, Clark could drift away as he listened to Lois' voice drone on and on.

Lois had taken to talking before bed. She had to get Clark's body and how relaxed and satisfied she felt after the shock of waking up naked in the Kent's loft off of her mind. She just had to talk and talk. It was the only way she could deal with her recent predicament. She talked so much that she lulled Clark and herself to sleep.

The new couple wasn't the only ones who fell into a routine as the week went by, every night, after taking care of senatorial duties, Martha would check in on them to make sure they fell asleep together. She called Chloe to tell the up-and-coming reporter that Lois and Clark continued to follow Dr. O'Neil's assignment.

Mrs. Kent personally thought it was cute. She could see how Clark's impressions about Lois had changed recently. She knew it had something to do with the impromptu kiss the young reporter gave her son a few months before when Clark had pretended to be Oliver to throw Lois off on the true identity of the Green Arrow. Both Clark and Lois told her about the kiss. Clark was confused about what he was now feeling for Lois and Lois wondered who the mystery kisser really was. The thought of the confusion of both her son and the woman she viewed as a daughter made the redhead laugh.

Chloe had also found herself in her own routine was often busy with errands for the Daily Planet and Clark. Being in the basement of the Metropolitan newspaper kept her on her toes. She often had to deal with criticisms from the higher paid, more respected reporters. James "Jimmy" Olsen, a young photographer at the Planet, used to be the only person who she could truly turn to when she allowed the insults to really get to her, but ever since the Valentine's Day fiasco, Chloe no longer had Jimmy. He broke up with her. He thought she was too close to Clark.

The only relief Chloe got now was when she witnessed Lois and Clark's strange relationship. It was like watching a whacked out, comedic drama. She missed them. The highlight of her day used to be watching her cousin and her best friend bicker. But, lately, she no longer had time for that.

Chloe was now only finding time to visit the Kent Farm to give Clark information on one of the Phantoms he released from the Phantom Zone late that summer. She felt run down and used, but she knew, in the end, she would be rewarded; somehow.

One night, an exhausted Chloe Sullivan found herself in Clark's loft, handing the farm boy some photos and reports on a couple of Phantoms. She had done the research that day, after her work hours. Her boss was getting on her about her extracurricular activities with her computer and she wasn't able to get home to use her personal computer. So, she had to do her searching when her boss wasn't at the Daily Planet.

"This was all I could find," the petite blonde said.

Clark took the photos and information. He frowned down at the images. This meant he had a lot more work ahead of him.

"This makes four more," he said examining the material.

"Yeah," Chloe said. "How many does that make?"

"Fifteen," Clark answered solemnly as he approached his desk.

"There couldn't be any more than that," Chloe said hopefully.

"I don't know, Chloe, there may be a lot more," Clark said. "I didn't think many had gotten out."

"But, this is good, right?" Chloe asked refusing to let her hope die. "You know where most of them could be."

"That's just it, Chloe," the Kryptonian said, frustration lacing his voice. He dropped the photos and information on top of the others on his desk and leaned against its sturdy frame. "I don’t know if they're still at these locations or if they are even near them or they could be long gone by now."

"Don't worry, Clark. You'll be able to find them and put them back where they belong."

"I only know I can kill them. I don't know how to imprison them."

This made Clark feel guilty. He hated killing. Even though he was dealing with the worst evils of the universe, he didn't want to end their lives. He sighed. That was one thing he was fully ready to admit he and Jor-El had in common.

"Oh, sorry," Chloe apologized. "I forgot."

"It's okay," Clark said. "I only wished I had more time to go search for them, but with Lois around I..."

"With Lois around you, what?" inquired a voice from the stairs. 

Clark and Chloe turned to see Lois staring at them. Clark quickly blocked his desk and its contents form the view his curious wife.

"Lois, what are you doing here?" He asked nervously.

"I came up to tell you dinner is ready," Lois answered looking at the pair suspiciously. "Chloe, Mrs. Kent wants to know if you're staying for dinner or not."

"Yeah, sure, why not?" Chloe answered nervously with a shrug.

"We'll be there in a minute," Clark said.

"Okay," Lois said turning and going down the stairs, still suspicious.

"You know she won't drop this easily," Chloe said once her cousin was out of hearing distance.

"I know," Clark sighed heavily.

"If you two end up staying married, you're going to have to tell her your secret," the blonde said.

"I don't think that's going to happen, Chloe," Clark said with irritation. "Lois Lane and I do not belong together."

"Even so," the young reporter sighed. "She's one of your closest friends. She's bound to find out about your origins. Wouldn't it be better to tell her yourself than her finding out by accident like Pete and me?"

"Yes," Clark mumbled. "But I'm still not going to tell. I'm not ready for her to know yet. She gets into enough trouble as it is. How much trouble do you think she would get into if she knew about my powers?"

"I'm totally not following you," Chloe said in confusion.

Once again, Clark sighed. This time his broad shoulders sagged.

"She'll know she'll have me as back up. Let's say she is about to be killed while investigating again, she would know she could just call out for me and I would be there in minutes, if not seconds to save her. She would know she could get to danger almost every time and I'll be there."

"I get it," Chloe said with enlightenment. "She would be taking too many chances with her life and one day you may not be able to rescue her and she would lose said life."

"Right," Clark said. "I can't have that kind of weight on my shoulders."

Chloe looked up at her friend. She knew he was using Lois' safety as an excuse for his own insecurities about his powers and whether Lois would accept him if she knew about his alien heritage.

"Yeah, you don't need any more weight on your shoulders," Chloe said. "I don't think even your super strength could handle much more."

Clark smiled at his friend's little joke.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat," he suggested.

Chloe nodded and they headed to the Kent House for dinner.  
END OF CH. 7


	9. Broken Heart

Chapter 8: Broken Heart  
A couple of days passed and two major events were approaching. Lois and Clark's next session with Dr. O'Neil and Lana and Lex's wedding. But the couple wasn't stressing themselves over the dreaded events. They were far too busy.

Clark spent his time saving his friends. Lana and Chloe had found themselves in dangerous situations. Clark couldn't allow them to deal with them on his own. He always wanted to be there for them, especially Lana. 

She meant so much to him even with her upcoming marriage to Lex and his unexpected marriage to Lois. She would always be his first love, his first everything. She would remain special to him despite her betrayal. Clark couldn’t help but wonder why someone as sweet as Lana Lang would turn to Lex Luthor. He knew it had something to do with trust, but there had to be something more. And that was the little tidbit that had worried Clark the most. How close did Lana and Lex get after his and Lana’s break up? Did it happen before they even broke up? And how long had Lex secretly been holding feelings for the former cheerleader? All these questions hurt Clark’s head and most importantly his heart. He wondered if he even really had Lana in the first place.

To add to the dilemma Chloe and he learned that Chloe was infected by meteor rock. She had written so many articles about Meteor Freaks gone bad and now she was one of them. It was almost like Karma. Clark knew she was wondering how her new meteor status would affect her. Would she be good or turn bad like all other Meteor Freaks before her? Clark didn’t think so. He believed Chloe had a good heart. All of the other Meteor Freaks always had something going on in their lives to turn them down the path of evil. Chloe didn’t, not really and even if she did Clark knew she would fight the bad in her.

Lois stayed away from everyone. She busied herself with a few stories for the Inquisitor. She was only seen by Martha and Clark. Martha because she insisted the young woman ate and Clark, because of their assignment. She called Chloe often. She didn’t want to lose touch with everyone. She was a social being after all, but she was a woman on a mission. She finally just found a career she really liked and she was fighting to make a name for herself. She knew Chloe had told her about the rush about being a reporter and she had written an article for The Torch when she briefly attended Smallville High, but she never knew how thrilling investigating reporting could really be until she set out on her own. That and it kept her mind off of her unwanted marriage to a certain farm boy.

Other than making sure Lois ate, Martha spent most of her time working on policies for Kansas. Clark and Lois rarely saw her. And she tried to keep a respectable distance from Lionel Luthor, Lex's father. She knew how Clark felt about him. Especially after Valentine's Day, Her son told her what he had planned on doing and saying before Lois convinced him to marry her.

Chloe was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She was best friends with Lana and Clark. Both wanted her by their side. They didn’t realize how much torture it really was to be friends with the both of them.

Lana was marrying Lex, but was obviously still in love with Clark and trying her best to deny it. She didn’t trust Clark and that seemed to be the only focus and basis Lana had to not being with him. Chloe knew Clark would have had to tell Lana his big secret someday. Why couldn’t the former cheerleader just wait until then or better yet give Clark a reason to trust her with the truth about his origins and powers.

Speaking of Clark, he, of course, was still in love with Lana but wasn't doing anything about it. Morally, he couldn’t, he was married to Lois. Chloe got the feeling he was just using his new marriage as a crutch instead of facing the truth about his role in the drama of his relationship with Lana.

Chloe wished the two would just make up their minds to be with each other or not. The soap opera that was Clana, she happily dubbed it, was driving her out of her mind. She has been on the wire for six years. She was almost hoping that Lana and Clark's separate relationships would work out. After all, the two were just going in circles. They wanted to get together, but Lana had a boyfriend. Lana no longer has a boyfriend and Clark takes forever to make a move. One of them makes a move and they begin a relationship. They break up. It was an annoying cycle.

Life was complicated for all of the players in this story.  
________________________________________  
Clark sat in his loft brooding. He hated Lana was marrying Lex. It was beginning to keep him up at night or wake him up with unpleasant nightmares about the couple taunting him. He barely had the resolve to not wake Lois when he woke up in the middle of the night.

"Are you gonna be up here all day?" Lois asked as she appeared at the top of the stairs.

She would deny it if anyone asked her, but she was worried about him He was falling apart over the whole Lana and Lex thing and she couldn’t blame him. She would be depressed too if her ex was marrying her former friend.

"What are you doing here?" Clark asked without looking at her.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted the distraction from his depressing thoughts.

"Can't a girl be concerned about her friend?" Lois shrugged.

"Do you always answer a question with another question?"

"I asked you a question first, so I’m not really answering you. I don’t have to," Lois said curtly. "It’s not my fault you're in such a foul mood."

"Lois," Clark said as calmly as he could. "I don't mean to be rude but go away."

"Funny, that would be a first,” Lois said as a half joke.

Clark stared up at her.

“I’m not as rude as a certain someone I know,” he retorted. “Just go away, Lois. I want to be alone.”

Lois rolled her eyes. He was always alone. She was beginning to think he never got lonely.

“I will, but I'm going to say just one thing," Lois said. She wasn’t giving in. She just had somewhere else to be. "You can't spend the rest of your life moping over the girl you lost, you're going to just waste away. You need to get off your ass and either move on or stop the wedding."

Clark stared up at his wife blankly. He heard every word she said. They struck him to his very core.

"Lois, I..."

"Don't," Lois said holding up her hand. She turned and began to walk back to the house.

"One more thing," she said turning back to Clark only to find him gone.  
________________________________________  
Unbeknownst to Lois, Clark saw Chloe's number on his cell phone and wanted to speak to her privately. Her call could be about a Phantom, but when Clark answered the call, Chloe revealed she was trapped in a wine cellar and needed to be rescued. He wasted no time speeding to aid his friend.

He had no idea there was a witness to his rescue. Lana had seen everything. She now knew about his powers and wanted to be with him. She was planning to leave Lex and run away with Clark.

When she told him, Clark's heart rejoiced. He agreed to Lana's plans, forgetting he was already married. He believed that this was his chance to finally be with Lana.

A few hours passed and Clark happily entered his home, only to spot Lois typing slowly on her laptop. Martha was washing the dishes from lunch. The smile was wiped from his handsome face. He couldn't disappear with Lana, leave his mother and Lois. Technically he was still married to Lois. It would count as abandonment and adultery if he ran off with another woman, the love of his life or not.

"Hi," he said clearing his throat.

Lois said nothing, she just waved, a pencil between her lips as she tried to finish her article.

"Oh, Clark," Martha said looking over her shoulder. "You missed lunch."

"It's okay. I'm going back to the loft."

He felt the need to think. He had to find a way to turn Lana down.

"Okay, dear," Martha said a little worried.

Lois simply rolled her eyes. Removing the pencil from her mouth, she turned to Martha.

"Mrs. Kent, aren't you going to start getting ready for Lana and Lex's wedding?" she asked.

"I will after I do the dishes," Martha answered continuing her chore.

Up in the loft, Clark was rehearsing what he was going to say to Lana when she came for him. He wanted to let her down gently.

"Lana," he stuttered. "I know you want to be with me and I know I want to be with you, but I can't be with you."

He paced the floor as he continued.

"You see, on the day of your engagement party I got married."

Clark turned to the only other being in the barn. This practice wasn’t going as smoothly as he had hoped.

"Maybe I shouldn't tell her that I'm married."

Shelby offered a bark of agreement. He may not be able actually to say what he felt, but he understood what was going on. He didn't care for Lana. He much preferred Lois. She at least petted him and it was fun making her sneeze.  
________________________________________

The time came and went for Lana to show at the barn, but she never came. Worried, Clark super sped to the church just in time to witness the only girl he dreamt of being with marrying a man he once considered a friend.

Choking back his tears, Clark knew something had happened for Lana to decide to marry Lex. He closed his eyes, trying to push the moment out of his mind and Lois' earlier words returned to his mind.

'You need to get off your ass and either move on or stop the wedding.'

Stopping the wedding wasn't an option. All he could do was move on.  
END OF CH. 8


End file.
